Portable conduit-coil cleaner apparatus



March 5, 1935. E, JONES 1,993,371

PORTABLE counurr con, CLEANER APPARATUS Fil ed Aug. 14, 1953 3Sheets-Sheet l 16 W, il rl l irwii mL R v g (WI T. 2 12M? E Z 1:; m EHC'EL 677 INVENTORI ATTORNEY.

March 5, 1935. E. E. JONES PORTABLE CONDUIT COIL CLEANER APPARATUS FiledAug. 14, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet '2 INVENTOR:

' ATTORNEY March 5, 1935. E, E. JONES 1,993,371

PORTABLE CONDUIT COIL CLEANER APPARATUS INVENTOR;

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 5, 1935 PORTABLE CO NDUlT-COIL CLEANER PABATUS Ennis E.Jones, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application August 14, 1933, Serial No. 885,142

11 Claims. (Cl. 225-12) This invention relates to means for cleaning theinside of conduits or conduits coils, especially' such as are commonlyused for conducting beer or other beverages, or in which liquids may bechanged in temperature to suit requirements incidental to dispensingthereof, the invention having reference more particularly toapparatusfor controlling a liquid cleaner such as a chemical or a solventcomposition and so as to cause the, cleaner to violently flow to-and-froin the conduit required to be cleaned, the apparatus being of a portablenature and such as to be manually operated and controlled.

An object of the invention is to provide a conduit coil cleanerapparatus which shall be so constructed as to be adapted to berepeatedly used in a simple and inexpensive manner to control andexpedite action of a liquid cleaner so as to restore the usefulness andefficiency of a conduit 20 or a cooling coil, and which shall not beliable to serious deterioration nor be costly in maintenance.

Another object is to provide improved apparatus which shall be soconstructed as to be adapted 25 to be connected to a conduit atdifferent portions thereof and to control flow of a liquid cleanertherethrough, and which shall be of inexpensive construction and simplein operation.

A further object is to provide an eflicient portable apparatus whichshall be so constructed as to be adapted to be hand-operated and readilyconnected to a conduit coil for controlling the flow of a liquid cleanertherein to facilitate the cleaning action of a liquid cleaner on theinside of the 35 conduit coil, which apparatus shall be adapted to be oflight-weight and easy operation and of few and substantial parts so asto be durable and economical in use.

With the above-mentioned and other objects in view, the inventionconsists in a novel circulatingpump provided with variously arrangeddirectional flexible conduits and adjustable means ,to control flowthrough the conduits to effect forcible to-and-fro surging of a liquidcleaner in a conduit, the flexible conduits being readily connectable todifferent portions of the coil or a conduit to be cleaned; and further,the invention consists in .the parts and combinations and arrangementsof parts, as hereinafter particularly described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is an elevation of apreferred construction .,of the apparatus illustrated as being suitablyconnected with a plurality of beer coils shown by broken lines andconnected with beer kegs and in arrangement to be cooled so as todeliver cooled beverages to be dispensed; Fig. 2 is an elevation withparts in section of the improved circulating-pump comprised in theinvention on an enlarged scale; Fig. 3 is a top plan of the circu- 6iatlng-pump; Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the circulating-pump on aplane at right angles to Fig. 2 or approximately on the lineIV-IV-therecn; Fig. 5 is a further enlarged section of the upper portionof the circulating-pump on a line corresponding to the line V-V on Fig.4; Fig. 6 is a 1 fragmentary horizontal section on a plane correspondingapproximately to the plane of the line VI-VI on Fig. 5; Fig. '7 is afragmentary vertical section of a portion of the circulating-pump cyll5inder and a piston in section therein; Fig. 8 is a fragmentaryhorizontal section approximately on the plane of the line VIH- -VIII onFig. 5; and Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12 are vertical'views of a diagrammaticnature illustrating the apparatus differently connected with a conduitcoil and various positions of parts of the apparatus to variouslycontrol flow. of the liquid cleaner in the operations of cleaning aconduit coll illustrated by broken lines.

Similar reference characters in the different figures of the drawingsindicate corresponding elements or features of constructions hereinreferred to in detail. I

In one form of construction which may be preferable, thecirculating-pump has a suitable base 1 having an extension 2 adapted tobe held to a floor by the feet of an operator, the base having a boss 3on its top to which a pump cylinder 4 is secured, the top of thecylinder having a head 5 fixed thereto which is provided with apackingbox 6 and a suitable packing gland 7 through which a pump rod 8extends tube manually operated by means of a handle '9 to causereciprocatory movement of a piston in the cylinder which comprises ahead10 provided with a spider 11 which is secured to the rod 8 and affordingpassage through the head 10 which is provided with an annular valve seatring 12 on its under side and on which a disk valve 13 normally isseated and having a guide stem 14 arranged in a. spider head 15 whichsupports a spring 16 yieldingly holding the valve to its seat, thespider having-a base ring 17 secured to the seat ring 12 or the pistonand holding a cup packing ring 18 in place against the wall of thecylinder. The base 1 has a metallic bottom 19 to constitute a lowercylinder head and a cushion 20 thereon against which the piston may bestopped after downward motion.

Two control valve casings 21 and 22 are mounted on one side of thecylinder and have support by the head 5 and a lateral projection thereonhaving ports 23 and 24 that are connected with the casings respectively,and a hollow yoke 25 is connected to the middle portions of the casingsand has a conduit neck 26 intermediate of its ends. A connector pipe 27is arranged between the lower portions ofthe casings and has branches 28and 29 that are connected with the casings respectively; a valve cage 30is connected with the lower end of the pipe 27 and has a conduit pipe 31connected therewith that extends downward and is connected to an elbow32 which atfords communication with the lower portion of the cylinder 4,being a part of the base of the cylinder, and the cage 30 has a gravitycheck valve 33 therein operating to prevent downward flow to the pipe31. The casings have chests 34 and 35 thereon respectively and eachcasing wall has a port 36 affording communication with the upper portionof the adjacent chest, a similar port 37 at the lower portion of thechest and a port 38 intermediately of the other ports. Each chest has aneck 39 for connection of a conduit therewith. The valve casings havetapered control valves 40 and 41 therein respectively that are providedwith handles 42 and42 respectively and each has a valve chamber 43 inits upper portion from which a port 44 extends to afford communicationwith the port 23, the chamber having a gravity action check valve 45 tooperate on its bottom from which extends a channel 46 which may beregistered with the port 36 upon adjustment of the valve, the valve 41being likewise equipped. The lower portion of each valve has a channel47 having one end to register with the port 37 and its opposite end toregister with one of the branches of the connector pipe 2'7 uponappropriate movement of the valve. Each valve also has a gate 48 whichmay be registered with the yoke 25 and the port 38 and hasalso a by-pass49 through which air may pass on various adjustments of the controlvalve.

A flexible conduit 50 is connected to the neck 26 and has a connector 51on" its end suitably equipped to be connected to the end of a pipe orsimilar article. Similar flexible conduits 52 and 53 are connected tothe necks of the chests 34 and 35 respectively and are each provided onits end with a connector 51 adapted to connect the conduit with oppositeends respectively of a conduit coil 54 or elsewhere if it may bedesiredto a faucet 55.

In explanation of the uses of the apparatus two cooling coils 54 and 54'are indicated by broken lines and have each a conduit pipe 55' connectedtherewith to lead downward into proximity of a supply of beer which maybe in a cellar, a flexible conduit 56 being connected to the end of oneof the pipes and a similar conduit 56 being connected to the end of, theother pipe and are connected to beer kegs 57 and 57' respectively, theupper ends of the coils having conduit pipes 58 and 58' connectedthereto respectively and leading to faucets 59 and 59' respectively.Usually the pipes pass through a floor 68 and into a cooling box 69 inwhich the coils and other parts of the conduits may be packed in ice.Suitably the .circulating-pump may be supported on such floor and whencleaning the coils and other parts of the conduit and also the faucet oreither one of the coils separately the flexible conduits 56 and 56' maybe disconnected from the beer kegs and their ends brought together andconnected one to the other by means of a suitable coupler 70, which isespecially desirable when the conduits 52 and 53 are connected withopposite ends of the coil or a conduit to afford continuity ofcirculation therethrough. Each connector 51, 51, being constituted to betightly pushed onto a smooth pipe end or a discharge spout andconstitute a conduit connection therewith, or to be placed in a vessel156 to receive a cleaner which may comprise any suitabel chemicalsolution desired to be conducted by the flexible conduit to the coil orconduit to be cleaned.

In practical use the circulating-pump is placed upon a floor andsteadily held in place by the operators feet or a foot while the handle9 is grasped by hand and the piston operated in a reciprocatory manner.The arrows on the diiferent conduits in the different flgures of thedrawings indicate the direction of movement or flow of liquid consequentupon operation of the piston and appropriate adjustment of controllingvalves 40 and 41 so as to cause violent or forceful flow of the cleaner,air that may be found in a coil at flrst escaping through a conduit andreplaced by the cleaner through another flexible conduit. When water isdesired in the cleaner mixture the same may be obtained upon connectionof the conduit 50 with a water supply faucet 55. In Fig. 11 arrowsindicate the direction of flow of air from the conduit 54 and throughthe conduit 52 and the valve 40 to pass into the upper portion of thepump cylinder. The surging of the liquid cleaner in the coils or conduitloosens sediment or other matter therein which may be blown out asindicated in Fig. 12 through one end of the coil as indicated by arrowsin Fig. 12 upon disconnection of the conduit 53 from the end of thecoil, leaving the conduit in clean condition for further use.

What is claimed is:

1. A conduit-coil cleaner apparatus having a vertical pump cylinder anda piston operable therein, two control valve casings connected togetherand with the opposite ends of the cylinder, flexible conduits connectedwith the casings respectively, a yoke connected with the casings, aflexible conduit connected with the yoke, a plu rality of connectorscarried by said conduits respectively, and means to control passagethrough said casings and said conduits.

2. A conduit-coil cleaner apparatus having a vertical cylinder and aported piston operable therein, the piston being provided with a valveautomatically seated upon descent of the piston to close passagetherethrough, a plurality of flexible conduits having means to connectthem to a conduit-coil, and manually-controlled means for effectingcommunication between the lower and upper portions of the cylinder andthe flexible conduits, said conduits being co-operatively associatedwith the cylinder.

3. A conduit-coil cleaner apparatus having a vertical cylinder and apiston operable therein, two valve casings fixed to the cylinder andhaving communication with the upper portion of the cylinder, a hollowyoke having communication with the casings, a flexible conduit connectedwith the yoke, a main conduit connected with the cylinder adjacent tothe lower end thereof and having branches connected with the lowerportions of the casings respectively, the main conduit having agravity-action check-valve therein, two flexible conduits havingconnection with the valve casings respectively, and manually controlledvalve means in each of the valve casings operable to co-operativeiycontrol flow upward therethrough and in the flexible conduits.

4. A conduit-coil cleaner apparatus having a circulating-pump comprisinga vertical cylinder and two valve casings on one side of the cylinder,having each a chest thereon, the cylinder having a head on its topprovided with a packing-box and provided with two ports communicatingwith the upper portions oi. the valve casings respectively and with thecylinder below its head, the cylinder having a bottom closure, a pistonin the cylinder having a rod extending through said packing-box andhaving a valve therein opening on upward stroke of the piston, a pipeconnected with the lower portion of the cylinder and having branchesconnected with the 'valve casings respectively, the pipe having agravity-action check-valve therein, a hollow yoke connected with the twovalve casings and a flexible conduit connected to the yoke, two flexibleconduits connected to said chests respectively, and two manuallyoperablekey-valves in the casings respectively and each having gates therein toaiIord communication between one oi said ports and one of said chestsand said yoke, one of said gates in each key-valve having agravity-action check-valve therein.

5. In a conduit-coil cleaner apparatus, the combination of a verticalpump cylinder, two valve casings mounted on one side of the cylinder andprovided each with a port to connect it with the upper portion of thecylinder, each casing having a communication chest thereon, a conduitpipe connected with'the lower portion of the cylinder and. havingbranches connected with the casingsv .-'respectively, a yoke connectedwith both of the casingsand having a conduit connected there- .with, anda piston operable in the cylinder and having a downward-opening valve.

8. In a conduit-coil cleaner apparatus, the combination of a pluralityof control valve casings corelated one with another and having each aflextrolled channelled rotatively adjustable devices arranged in thecasings respectively to control flow variantly therein.

7. In a coil-cleaning device having a reciprocating-piston pump, a pairof conduits each adapted for connection to the end of a coil, and aconduit for connection to a water supply, the combination a passage tothe pressure side of the pump, and valve means adapted to effect any twoof the following connections; said water conduit with either 01' saidcoil conduits, said pressure passage with any of said conduits, andeither of said coil conduits with the suction side of said 8. In acoil-cleaning device having a reciproeating-piston pump, a pair ofconduits each adapted for connection to the end of a coil, and a conduitfor connection to a water supply, the combination of. a passage to thepressure side of the pump, a pair of independently operable valve meanseach having a flrst position providing communication between one of saidcoil-conduits and the suction side of said pump, a second positionproviding communication between one of said coil-conduits and saidpressure passage, a third position providing communication between saidwater conduit and one of said coil conduits, and a fourth positionproviding communication getzveen said pressure passage and said watercon- 9. In a coil-cleaning device'having a reciproeating-piston pump, apair of conduits each adapted for connection to the end of a. coil, anda conduit iorconnection to a water supply, the combination 01 a passageto the pressure side of the pump, a pair of independently operable valvemeans each having a first position providing communication between oneof said coil-conduits and the suction side of said pump, a secondposition providing communication between one of said coil-conduits andsaid pressure passage, and a third position providing communicationbetween saidwater conduit and one of said coil conduits.

10. In a coil-cleaning device having a reciproeating-piston pump, a pairof conduits each adapted for connection to the end of a coil, and aconduit for. connection to a water supply, the combination of a passageto the pressure side of the pump, each oi! said coil-conduits havingassociated with it an independently operable valve means arranged toconnect it either to said pressure passage, said water conduit, or thesuction side of said pump.

.11. In a. conduit-coil cleaner, a pair of flexible conduits adapted tobe connected to the ends of a conduit-coil, and means interconnectablewith said flexible conduits to form a closed circuit with saidconduit-coil and efiect a forced circulation of fluid around saidcircuit, said means comprising apump casing, a piston reciprocabletherein and provided with a check valve, and means for connecting thesuction and pressure ends of said pump casing respectively to saidflexible conduits and including a check valve openable in the oppositedirection of fluid flow from said piston check valve.

ENNIS E. JONES.

